Engineering for dome construction has, in the past, produced a wide variety of structural designs. Fuller, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,235, described a geodesic dome, composed of triangular panels arranged in a pattern of arcs. While widely used, the geodesic dome has many limitations and drawbacks, including the fact that the triangular panels result in junctions of five or six panels, and the point of intersection of a geodesic dome with a horizontal plane defines a zigzag pattern. This irregular base line makes it difficult to attach a geodesic dome to a horizontal foundation and the triangular panels make it difficult to incorporate basic architectural elements such as doors and windows.
Yacoe, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,361, describes a geotangent dome which solved many of the problems inherent in geodesic domes, but which still is an approximation of a sphere. A continuing need exists for dome structures which would provide a broad range of height to diameter ratios for the enclosure of space.